Prevalência de HTLV-1 e HTLV-2 em portadores de Strongyloides stercoralis, Pará, Brasil

Abstract

The Strongyloides stercoralis is an intestinal nematode of humans that causes strongyloidiasis, a disease with worldwide distribution particularly common in tropical and subtropical regions. Epidemiological studies have demonstrated the existence of an association of this parasitic disease with Human T-cell Lymphotropic Virus type 1 (HTLV-1). In regions where both agents are endemic, the coinfection may result in the development of severe strongyloidiasis, because HTLV-1 causes a reduction in the production of immune components participating in the defense mechanisms against S. stercoralis. Based on this question, this study wanted to help and clarify the role of immunosuppression induced by HTLV-1 and HTLV-2 in the persistence and dissemination of Strongyloides stercoralis. Serological and molecular tests were used to assess the frequency of HTLV-1 and HTLV-2 in patients with S. stercoralis treated at University Hospital João de Barros Barreto, Belém Pará, in the period July 2009 to June 2011. In this study, we observed the frequency (5.50%) of anti-HTLV-1 and HTLV-2 in patients with Stongyloides stercoralis. The prevalence of HTLV-1 (3.67%) was higher than that of HTLV-2 (0.92%). The analysis of the sample showed no statistically significant differences in the frequency of HTLV-1 and HTLV-2 among men and women. At the distribution of patients with HTLV-1 and HTLV-2 by age group, we observed a higher frequency of the virus among patients with older age. Based on the results in this study, we conclude that there is need for prophylactic measures to prevent the spread of HTLV-1 and HTLV-2 among carriers of S. stercoralis and consequently prevent the development of complications resulting from the combination of these agents.